


Oh, Shit

by kpopeo



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kinda, Light Angst, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Pining, duh - Freeform, hehe secret ship, markhyuck, well theres nomin and chensung
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:28:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14501958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kpopeo/pseuds/kpopeo
Summary: When Lee Donghyuck learns of his arranged marriage with Mark Lee, things start to get complicated, especially when they hate each other.





	1. My Eighteenth Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> hi! it's me, posting on ao3 instead of tumblr. huh? tumblr? don't go into my tumblr :(( ah yes, i'm posting on ao3 again, too. 
> 
> markhyuck inspired by weird shit at 2 am. unbeta-d af too.

\- **_donghyuck_** -

It's a regular day at his school today, and being the regular day it was, Donghyuck was sure to watch out for any signs of Mark Lee. His juniors were crowding around him, greeting him cheerful “good morning”s and fangirls were trying to get a glimpse of their daily Donghyuck for whatever reason. Jisung and Chenle still stood out from the crowd, and he was going to greet them when he heard the noise die down.

“Oh, Donghyuck's here for today,” came the very annoying voice of Mark Lee, strong and powerful amidst the people talking among themselves. Donghyuck's juniors had their smiles wiped off their faces, replaced by irritated looks that mirrored his own expression. “Is it a good Monday so far? Did you have a good morning?”

One would think that Mark was being nice and polite to him if it weren't for the sneer and the condescending tone that he always liked to use on Donghyuck, always eager to annoy the hell out of the smaller boy that was supposed to be his childhood best friend. Donghyuck, on the other hand, just smiled at him sarcastically, making it clear to Mark that his presence wasn't appreciated.

“I was having a good morning before you came in,” Donghyuck spat back, turning his back on the older boy. He didn't expect to be roughly pushed away, though, making him almost lose his balance. He rolled his eyes at the immature act, getting his things from the locker before Mark could do anything else. “Shoving people around? What are you, five? Come on, Jisung, Chenle, let's get you to your classes.”

Before Mark could retort, Donghyuck walked away, leaving Mark surrounded by the suddenly dispirited group of juniors and fangirls that were slowly dispersing away from him, only to be crowded by his own group of fans as well. The older boy rolled his eyes, deciding that Donghyuck wasn't as fun to tease as he was before.

 

 

“Hyung, your birthday is in a few days, right?”

Jisung was busy sipping his apple juice, but when Chenle asked Donghyuck, he looked up, as if waiting for an answer from the older boy. Donghyuck nodded his head, not looking up from the book he was reading for an upcoming test instead of eating because it was lunch, after all. “Yeah, why do you ask? Are you planning to get hyung something?”

“Maybe. I was wondering if Mark sunbae could lay off you for a while, though. He even pushed you a while ago, and I don't know if he's sensible enough to... not harass you for a few days,” Chenle stated, feeling partly ashamed because he brought up the topic. Donghyuck took his eyes off the pages, frowning at what the younger boy said.

“Some people are just childish, Chenle. I won't let him get to me, though. It's his choice whether to be immature or not.”

Donghyuck was tasked to take care of Chenle and Jisung when they entered school, since their parents were also good business partners with his own. In return, he got extra allowance, and while he didn't need it, he grew fonder of the two kids, making him feel like he had younger brothers of his own. He was annoyed by them at times, but they never do it on purpose, and he thinks he might care for them as his own siblings.

“I'm immature now?”

The three were surprised by Mark's sudden input in their conversation, not even noticing when he had arrived. He looked pissed off, arms crossed and glaring at Chenle, but Donghyuck was quick to move, blocking Chenle from Mark's threatening gaze. “Hey,” Donghyuck was starting to get equally as pissed at Mark. “Why are you looking at Chenle like that? I'm the one who said you were childish. Leave us be.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Ah, so you were talking trash about me? That takes a lot of nerve, especially if you can't even stand up for yourself properly,” he said, sending Chenle one more icy glare before walking away to join his friends at another table. Donghyuck tsked at the older boy, wondering for a moment if his friends even enjoyed his presence.

“Chenle, are you okay?” Donghyuck asked, smiling at the younger boy who looked a little scared. The older one pretended to throw a punch at Mark, who wasn't even looking in their direction. One of the students at his table—he recognized to be Renjun—saw what he did, but only raised an eyebrow and didn't say anything. “Ah, that guy. He's such a dick. Sorry, I didn't mean to curse.”

“I think he's one, too, hyung,” Jisung said it in a way that sounded so innocent, surprising Donghyuck even if he somehow expected it from the youngest. While he was quiet and awkward, Jisung was secretly savage, and while he'd keep his insults mostly to himself, it still amused Donghyuck. “Ah, I'm supposed to respect sunbae. Sorry.”

“You don't need to be sorry, Jisung. It's okay to disrespect people sometimes.”

 

 

Chenle was late to their daily ride back home, showing up with dried tears on his face and red, puffy eyes that made Donghyuck worry. “Ah, hyung, I just... tripped, I guess. Jisung's home is our first stop, right? Let's get into the car already,” were his only words before making his way into the back of the car, presumably to sleep after a long Monday. And while Chenle was really sleeping, Jisung and Donghyuck were smart to know something was up, but sensible enough to keep quiet.

Jisung was dropped off first, and Donghyuck felt bad for having to let him go home without a farewell and the usual “see you later!” from Chenle. However, the said person had woken up the moment Jisung's house was out of sight, bleary-eyed and mind still hazy from sleep.

“Hyung? Can I tell you something?” Chenle mumbled, and Donghyuck crawled into the backseat with him, letting the younger one rest his head on his lap. Chenle made himself comfortable once more, and Donghyuck thought he'd go back to sleep again when the younger one spoke up. “I didn't trip, really. Although, I was afraid to tell it to you while Jisung was here.”

“What is it?” Donghyuck questioned, feeling nervous about what he was about to say. Chenle kept on playing with fabric of his uniform, eyes not meeting Donghyuck's gaze. “Are you alright? What happened to you a while ago?”

Tears welled up in Chenle's eyes again. “Mark approached me again, right after school,” he quietly said, still avoiding Donghyuck's eyes. “I don't really like him, hyung! He told me all these mean things all because I told you about him during lunch. Now I'm worried about what'll happen to you.”

“Mark Lee made you cry?” Donghyuck responded a few moments later, still wondering how heartless a human would have to be to make a younger person, or even just someone, cry. Chenle was a nice kid, always trying to be polite yet still having that sense of cheekiness in him, and it angered Donghyuck that Mark even had the guts to threaten Chenle because of something he didn't even do. “He really is something. Do you want to tell your parents?”

“Y-yeah, but I don't want it to blow up so much, you know. I just... don't mind it anymore, okay? I don't want anyone to fight because of me,” Chenle told Donghyuck, sitting up and already slinging his bag over his shoulder. His house was getting closer, and he was just preparing to get off. “Don't tell anyone about this, okay? If my parents ask you, just say I just tripped, hyung.”

Donghyuck spent the rest of the ride in silence, contemplating on whether to confront Mark after years of being constantly being pushed around by the older boy. Insulting Donghyuck was fine because he's grown used to it, but Chenle wasn't, and Donghyuck hoped that the younger boy never had to be needlessly insulted by anyone, especially Mark. Making Chenle cry was completely out of line already, and who knows what else Mark had done to the poor boy?

“Oh, Donghyuck, you're back home!” he was enveloped in the soft, comforting hug of his mother the moment he stepped inside, and while he appreciated the affection his parents gave him, he felt like something was off in the atmosphere. It had a weird vibe to it, like it was supposed to be happy, but the tension was high. “How was school, sweetie? Oh, yes, can you go down to the living room when you're done relaxing? We have something to tell you.”

He raised an eyebrow subtly, but followed his mother nonetheless. Once he was dressed down from his uniform to more comfortable house clothes, he sat down on the couch just as he was instructed. He waited for his parents to come out, and when they were, they looked anxious, as if something was bothering them.

“You're almost eighteen, Donghyuck,” his mother said, sitting down beside him while his father took the opposite side. His mother took his hand in hers, as if to reassure him. “And since you'd be out for your birthday, your father and I thought this would just be the best time to tell you this. We might have to apologize, though.”

“What did you want to tell me?” Donghyuck nervously asked. His father gave him a comforting, yet somehow forced smile.

“You're not in good terms with Mark Lee, right? The son of your mother's best friend?” his dad asked, and even though he tried to keep the move lighthearted by adding the last part, Donghyuck's face obviously paled. “We're really sorry to tell you this, but since you're turning eighteen soon, we might as well tell you already. You know, your mother and Mark's mother made a deal when the two of you were children.

“It was about your... engagement,” Donghyuck's mother finished, almost whispering, but Donghyuck heard it loud and clear. His heart pounded in his chest, getting faster the more he thought about it. Him? Engaged? To the rudest ass in the world, Mark Lee? He couldn't believe it, until his mother spoke up again. “We're not forcing you to do this, you know, but we also thought that this would be good for our businesses as they have a reputable business--”

“Mom, I'm not going to turn it down,” the words tasted so bitter in his mouth, so much that he actually thought he felt nauseated because of it. As much as he hated it, this was a business opportunity and no one can miss business opportunities, even if you hated how the process worked. “I'd be too selfish. Besides, it's a good opportunity for our business, and it's probably just for my own good.”

He felt sick to his stomach, because even if the words sounded so fake, he tried so hard to convince his parents that it was fine, and that they can't lose an opportunity because he decided to whine. It was marriage, sure, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he didn't have a say in who'd he marry.

“We're blessed to have such a caring and thoughtful child, Donghyuck. We just wanted to tell you that,” his mother told him, and he was fine as long as his parents weren't disappointed. He loved his parents, and he'd always try to make them happy with his decisions. This wasn't any different.

“Does Mark know?” Donghyuck asked glumly, and he wondered if Mark knew and still chose to do this. His mother shook her head. “When will he know about this? Isn't he already eighteen, though?”

“He's going to learn it on your birthday, honey. We bought an apartment for the two of you to live in during the fall and spring semesters next year, since it's your last year at school and all. We're not expecting you to speak to each other already, but we hope that you'd improve your relationship with each other,” his mother told him. “The wedding is still a long way to go, but we were just informing you about this.

“Oh...”

Getting engaged was one thing, but living together in one apartment? He just hoped that the apartment had at least two beds, because he was sure that he wasn't going to be the one camping out in the living room. He felt like he was ready to faint from all the information, but he kept a straight face on. “Okay. Is that all, mom, dad?”

“Yes, honey. We're really glad. You know how to spot business opportunities, now,” his dad gave Donghyuck a thumbs-up, to which he weakly reciprocated. He stood up, giving his parents the obligatory kiss on the cheeks before leaving for his room, each step heavy and full of disappointment.


	2. You're Not You When You're Hungry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, unbeta-d af and done while half-asleep. on a school night. with like, four projects due tomorrow. oh what fun.

\- **_donghyuck_** -

_“Hey, Mark! How's your day going?” Donghyuck greeted the older boy happily, taking a seat beside the quiet boy who was scribbling in his notebook. It was still break time, and while his other friends were off doing physical games, he still preferred to hang out with Mark, who was always writing in his notebook. “What are you writing? Lyrics again?”_

_“Yeah, lyrics,” Mark replied curtly, smiling as he wrote in the notebook. Donghyuck patiently waited for Mark to finish, staying silent as he watched the older boy finally finish writing in one page of the notebook. He closed the notebook, setting it on his lap, and finally turned to Donghyuck. “What are you doing here again? Did you want to see my lyrics?”_

_“I don't need to read your lyrics, because I know you'll rap them for me one day,” Donghyuck said, still smiling as if he was unbothered. He knew that Mark liked to rap, and that was how they met. Donghyuck stumbled upon the older boy rapping to himself, and from there, he stuck to his side, forever encouraging him even if he couldn't choose being a rapper as a main career. “Even if you're the CEO, I'd support you!”_

_“Thank you, Donghyuck,” Mark said, mirroring the smile Donghyuck had on his face. “Were you waiting for me to finish? Do you want to eat lunch now? I have snacks for you, too, for afternoon break.”_

_“Ah, thank you!”_

 

 

“How did you really expect me to live here?” Donghyuck muttered to no one in particular, setting his bags by the empty closet. He was thankful that his parents got him a bedroom of his own, but it wasn't really his own bedroom. It was just a guest room, and he was going to get the master bedroom until he saw someone else's things by the master bedroom's cabinets, and he knew that he'd stick to the guest room. “This is ridiculous. Don't worry, Donghyuck, it's going to be alright.”

“You even talk to yourself? Wow, Donghyuck, I didn't expect you to be this lonely,” he heard Mark's familiar voice behind him, and Donghyuck tried his best to not scream out of frustration. Instead, he slowly turned to Mark, a humourless smile on his face. “Don't smile like that, it makes you look bad.”

He dropped his smile, already revealing a scowl that he didn't make an effort to hide from Mark. “I didn't want this. My parents did, now let's act like we're just people who just happens to live together, like dorm mates, instead of people that were forced to live together for some reason,” Donghyuck said, rolling his eyes when Mark scoffed. “It's the best way to live here without trying to claw each other's eyes out.”

“So you really think you can claw my eyes out?” Mark taunted. Donghyuck really wanted to push Mark up a wall and shout at him, but he calmed himself, taking in deep breaths before turning away. “Ha, so you don't think you can claw my eyes out. All bark and no bite, aren't you, Donghyuck?”

Donghyuck was grateful when he heard the door being slammed shut because Mark was finally out of his room. He wanted nothing more than to take a shower and sleep, but he still had to unpack and decorate the room as he saw fit. He sighed, deciding that the sleep could wait later as he got into the shower with the clothes he needed.

The room ended up being nicely decorated after Donghyuck spent a lot of time arranging his things on the desk and filling the closet out with the clothes he had, and he was proud since the room looked so clean (he thinks that Mark's room is messy, it probably is) and tidy. The digital clock beeped, snapping Donghyuck out of his trance and checked the time.

_6:00 pm._

“Already? Ah, I didn't even know time could fly by so fast,” he said to himself, stretching his body and already thinking about what to cook for dinner. When he arrived at the dining room and kitchen, though, he was surprised to see a box of fried chicken sitting on the table and Mark already eating the greasy food. “I bet he can't even cook,” Donghyuck thought to himself, scrunching his nose up before checking the fridge for any ingredients.

“What are you making?” Mark asked in that annoying voice of his, and Donghyuck just wanted to block him out. However, he ignored him, just getting out the ingredients he needed for the japchae, still not answering Mark's previous question. “Donghyuck, are you just going to ignore me?”

“Yes,” Donghyuck replied quickly, already preparing the ingredients and paying Mark no heed as he cooked the ingredients, setting the cooked noodles and already going back to cook the vegetables and meat. After cooking the rest of the ingredients, he plated the dish. He set it on the table, opposite to where Mark was sitting, and he started to eat quietly.

“You didn't even ask me if I wanted some,” he heard Mark mutter, and he frowned out of confusion. Donghyuck ignored it once again, just like how he's usually done it before, and continued eating. He was about to let it slide until Mark commented again. “You should've asked me if I wanted some, Donghyuck! It smells nice.”

“You didn't ask me if I wanted some of your fried chicken, too!” Donghyuck shot back, glaring at Mark who was still enjoying his greasy fried chicken that seemed to taste good, too. While Donghyuck liked being healthy, he still enjoyed his greasy food once in a while, and fried chicken wasn't even an exception. “You expect me to give you food but you don't even give me food? Ah, are you being serious?”

“I'm not in the mood to cook nor fight right now,” Mark replied, suddenly exasperated. Donghyuck rolled his eyes, sighing as he continued to eat in peace, undisturbed by Mark or his greasy fried chicken.

\- **_mark_** -

“My God, did Donghyuck leave early?” Mark sighed, confused as to why the house seemed so quiet. He guessed that Donghyuck had already gone to school, since he checked the shoe rack and Donghyuck's school shoes weren't there. He still wasn't in the mood to cook breakfast, but he had no choice but to do it, until he saw a plate of waffles on the dining table and a small post-it next to it.

“'These are some left-overs from my breakfast, and it would be a waste if I didn't eat them, so I'm giving them to you. I don't think you can cook anyway.' What! I can cook, sometimes I don't want to do it,” Mark complained, frowning at the post-it and crumpling it in his fist, but he forced him to feel at least thankful that Donghyuck had left him food already. “Whatever. He finally gave me some food, unlike last night...”

He dug into his food, wolfing down the waffles rather hungrily since he did want some breakfast already. The waffles tasted nice, and he guessed that Donghyuck added some flavouring to the batter because of the different smell, something like cinnamon or any spice that smelled nice.

It was when he was washing the dishes when he saw the lunch box for Donghyuck on the counter, seemingly forgotten by the owner. Mark had half a mind to just take the lunch box for himself, but the dish looked well-cooked and he guessed that Donghyuck must've really like the dish if he cooked it that perfectly. He sighed, adding it to the things he had to bring to school, and went on his way.

He figured he can just buy his lunch later.

 

 

He found Donghyuck next to the two kids, just like usual, and the first kid he noticed was the Chinese one that cried because of him a few months ago. He scoffed, rolling his eyes at the memory. It also turned out that the kid was the first one who noticed him first, too, tugging at Donghyuck's sleeve to catch his attention.

“Hey, Donghyuck,” the way that Mark spoke his name made it clear that he was already annoyed by how Donghyuck was glaring at him, placing a hand on Chenle's shoulder protectively. He fought the urge to roll his eyes once more, holding up the bag that held Donghyuck's lunch instead. “You forgot your lunch on the counter this morning.”

“Wow, really thoughtful of you,” Donghyuck sarcastically said, huffing and eyeing the lunch bag suspiciously. Mark was wondering why Donghyuck was taking so long to take it off his hands, and he was about to snap at him before the younger one spoke up again. “'Are you sure that's mine? Because I'm pretty sure I brought mine with me. I didn't even cook for you. Are you trying to poison me?”

“Why would I--? Fine, check your bag. Let's see if you really brought your lunch to school today,” Mark retorted, eyes narrowed as he watched Donghyuck go through his things. After a few minutes of rearranging his things, though, Donghyuck came up empty handed. “Noth there, huh? I wasn't trying to poison you. Now, take this.”

“Whatever. I don't need that, anyway, so you can just take it. I'm too busy for lunch,” Donghyuck said with a red face, turning his attention back on the two kids that he was with. Mark leaned back, waiting for what Donghyuck would do even when he was proved wrong already. “Jisung, Chenle, can you eat your lunch by yourselves today? I forgot that I had to do something with a classmate of mine. If that strange man bothers you, move next to your friends, okay?”

“'Strange man'? You really are something, Lee Donghyuck,” Mark quipped at the boy who had his bag on, ready to leave the scene. He followed him, trying to keep up with the annoyed Donghyuck who was quickly heading to who-knows-where. Mark didn't know why, but he felt as if he had to give Donghyuck his lunch, and so, he had to follow the younger one all the way to the rooftop. “Were you going to meet with your classmate here?”

“Yes, of course,” Donghyuck scoffed, a scowl present on his face as he turned to look at the older one. Mark was used to the glare that accompanied the scowl already, but he was wondering why it seemed extra cold today. “Why did you even go to our table? You could've just taken that lunch. You have some nerve to approach us after what you did to Chenle months ago.”

“Oh, so that's the name of the kid?” Mark said, crossing his arms in front of his chests, as if challenging Donghyuck to do something. “I didn't mean to make him cry, honestly. I was just telling him how rude you were.”

“Why would you tell him he's—wait, how rude _I_ am?” Donghyuck sounded confused, and it got Mark wondering about what the little punk told Donghyuck, and this made it seem like he dissed Chenle instead of Donghyuck. Realization dawned on Donghyuck and his features gave it away.

“What? Did you think I actually fought that kid?” Mark huffed. He set the lunch bag down, near Donghyuck's bag, and settled on making fun of Donghyuck's face. “You look like something was just revealed to you. This is why you don't jump to conclusions, Donghyuck,” and with that, Mark walked away without a second glance at the other boy.

Jaemin and Jeno were still waiting for him at their usual table, joking around and talking about something random when Mark set his bag down on the table, making the pair notice the older student. “Ah, hyung, we already bought you lunch. We guessed that you'd be alright with this,” Jeno said, pushing a container towards him. Mark thanked him, fine with anything they got for him.

“What took you so long, hyung? We saw you approach a junior's table and then you followed Donghyuck somewhere. Are you finally going to apologize to him?” Jaemin asked, looking like a middle-aged woman that wanted to know all the latest gossip. Jeno choked on his drink, suppressing a laugh at the statement. “What? Maybe Mark had a change of heart!”

“No, that's not it,” Mark replied, taking a small bite of the food they got him. It lifted up his mood a little, and he felt cared for by his juniors since he could trust them to buy him food when he couldn't, especially when the lines were long and the breaks seemed so short these days. “Ah, he's so annoying. He thinks I bullied that Zhong Chenle from a year below you guys.”

“That kid?” Jeno said, taking a glance at the table that were occupied by two juniors and one more person their age. Mark nodded. “Well, they're with Renjun now, so I don't think we can go talk to Chenle.”

“Talk to Chenle? No, I have something planned in mind,” Mark mentioned to the both of them, and Jaemin leaned in excitedly, sipping on his juice enthusiastically. Mark rolled his eyes, yet he smiled at Jaemin's behaviour. “I'm not planning to apologize to him, Jaemin, so don't get your hopes up just yet. I'll do something way better than apologizing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ


	3. Congratulations! You Screwed It Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, an update. finally. remember to check my tumblr out (it's kpopeo)

\- **_donghyuck_** -

_“Mom, dad, don't tell Mark we're engaged,” Donghyuck hurriedly told his parents, a few hours after the news of his engagement came to him. His parents just came out of their study, busy with some papers from their business, but ready to hear their child out nonetheless. They looked concerned, processing what Donghyuck had just said. “Please, please, just tell him after graduation. I don't want anyone to know it while we're in school.”_

_“Donghyuck...” his father called out, but his mother raised a hand to silence her husband. Gently, she hugged the panicking Donghyuck that seemed to calm down in her arms. The older man sighed. “I guess it's fine if he'll know after graduation. What seems to be the problem with him knowing on your birthday, though?”_

_“He'll probably use it against me,” Donghyuck answered, hugging his mother tighter. “I just... have a bad feeling about it. I have a bad feeling about what would happen if he knew. About the apartment, just tell him that... that we're roommates. I don't know, but please, don't tell him about the engagement yet.”_

_“Okay, honey, don't stress yourself out over this,” his mother reassured him, patting his head warmly. It made him happy that his mother understood, even if he didn't really tell her why, and he was thankful for that. “We'll tell his parents tonight, okay? I was thinking of telling Mark that you guys should live closer to the school, and it'd be better if you guys didn't live alone. Is that okay, sweetie?”_

_“Yes, mom.”_

 

 

“School is really stressing me out,” Donghyuck mumbled to himself, trudging to the lockers after dropping by his social studies teacher, Mr. Yoo, to submit a paper earlier than the deadline. Donghyuck preferred to finish his assignments early, since he had more free time by the time the deadline was approaching. He faced his locker, ready to leave some of his stuff there, but frowned at the note that was stuck on the door. “What...? A confession?”

It turned out that it wasn't a confession note, but something that instructed him to go to the rooftop at lunch. He shrugged it off, thinking that maybe the confession would happen there, and kept it in one of his pockets. He couldn't recognize the handwriting, so he couldn't exactly pinpoint who it was.

Soon enough, lunch came quickly, and Donghyuck reread the note, making sure that he was really asked to go to the rooftop at lunch. Renjun approached him, though, but he didn't read the note. Instead, he asked the unaware Donghyuck. “Is that a love confession? A lot of people are confessing nowadays, since it's the last school year for us.”

“No, it's just a note saying I should go to the rooftop by lunch,” Donghyuck answered, folding the note once again and keeping it away in his pocket. Renjun didn't seem that curious about the note, and Donghyuck was grateful that Renjun wasn't the type of person to pry into other people's business. “I think I should go now. I'll just leave my bag on this table, can you watch it for me?”

“Sure, Donghyuck. I'll buy you lunch if you need it?” Donghyuck shook his head, although he smiled to show that appreciated Renjun's concern. “Okay, good luck with the confession. If you'll reject them, please do it nicely.”

The walk to the rooftop made Donghyuck a little anxious about what would happen, and he wondered who would be the one to confess to him. The fall semester would end in a few weeks, but there was still the spring semester, so maybe the person wanted time? He thought about it, imagining who would go meet him, even if it wasn't for a confession.

His mind went back to the time where he last met someone on the rooftop, where Mark told him that he didn't insult Chenle, and that it was actually about him. He frowned. Chenle didn't say who Mark was targeting, actually, so Donghyuck just assumed that the younger one would be the victim. They haven't talked about it ever since it happened, not like they did ever talk in their shared apartment. He decided that bickering wasn't as good as talking.

Mark Lee was actually a nice person, he noted, but his attitude towards him said otherwise. He'd annoy the hell out of Donghyuck, or sometimes he'd even go as far as to pushing him around until Donghyuck retaliated, but it wasn't always like that. Their mothers were best friends, and they used to be, too, until they realized that even friendships can't last long enough in this world.

Soon enough, he stopped in front of the door that led to the rooftop. He had a bad feeling about this, especially when he heard there were noises outside, but he figured that there might have been a party going on and that he was invited. Hesitantly, he opened the door, stepping in as soon as it was opened. His vision was momentarily blocked by an oncoming liquid, and soon enough, he heard laughter as well.

The smell of the liquid was coming to him, and he realized that he'd been drenched in chocolate milk, the ever staining chocolate milk. Even though it smelled okay, it was still chocolate milk, and no one ever wanted to be soaked in chocolate milk. He fished around his pocket, and thankfully, the handkerchief wasn't that wet, using it to wipe the milk from his face. He was greeted by the sight of a smirking Mark, flanked with either Jaemin or Jeno on both sides.

The other two didn't look as smug as Mark, and instead, Donghyuck could see them trying to hide their worried expressions from Mark. The people ceased their laughter, however, when Donghyuck angrily stomped towards Mark, ready to give him a piece of his mind. He stopped directly in front of the older boy, and at this point, both Jaemin and Jeno had backed off. Donghyuck was fuming, because he didn't even deserve this, and he felt even more humiliated when he saw some students filming it with their phones.

“You, Lee Minhyung!” Donghyuck shouted. Screw Mark Lee being nice, he thought, because he never became nice to him even in high school, even if he tried his best to still be polite during the first two years. Now, he couldn't even think of being polite, nor ever forgiving Mark if the older one even had the heart to apologize. “What did I ever do to you? I've done nothing wrong to you! And now, you do this to me? You're one hell of an asshole, Minhyung, I wish we've never met!”

The crowd wasn't laughing now. Sure, they know Donghyuck as the guy who can fight back against those who'd try to insult him, but they've never seen him actually get angry at someone for it. Even Mark was surprised by the outburst, involuntarily stepping back. He was speechless, opening his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He thought of apologizing this time, but Donghyuck spoke up again.

“I've always apologized to you because of that one incident, and I know I can't turn back time, but you're now dragging it over to high school?” Donghyuck said, a lot quieter than the first time. He forced himself to not cry, to not even embarrass him further, but he couldn't looking away from Mark's unreadable gaze. “You really are something, Mark. How did we ever become friends?”

Not able to stand the presence of the older boy any longer, Donghyuck stepped back, turning away from Mark. At first, he took small steps, but then he took off, leaving Mark and his crowd of other students in the rooftop. He almost tripped going down the stairs, but he made his way to the nearest comfort room. He was glad that the things inside his pockets were safe, including his phone. Leaning against the sink, he dialed Renjun's number.

“Hello, Donghyuck? Where are you? Someone sent me what happened. I was actually about to call you, but you called me first,” Renjun's voice came through the speaker, and Donghyuck found the other's voice to peaceful and calming. “Where are you now? Wait, I'll go get a change of clothes, and I'll go to where you are.”

Donghyuck told Renjun his location and waited for him there, his phone still resting in his hand. He turned around to face the mirror, and he grimaced at the sight of his hair all mussed up and his clothes drenched in chocolate milk. He was glad that he didn't wear white clothes today, or else the milk would've stained.

Donghyuck remembered how Mark was smirking at him, looking all smug that he was able to do this to him, but then after his outburst, Mark's expression changed from being confident to something that he couldn't understand. He scoffed at his musings. Donghyuck, did you really think he'd apologize? Remember, this is Mark Lee. Look at what he's done to you.

“Donghyuck?”

He turned his head to the source of the voice. Renjun was at the doorway, closing the door behind him quietly. He had a bag of clothes in his hand, as well as a bottle of water in the other. Donghyuck gave him a tired and glum wave, and he took the bag of clothes from Renjun with a small “thank you” coming from him. Once he was done changing into the clothes that Renjun lent him, he spoke up. “Renjun? Can I crash at your house tonight?”

“Hm? Sure, but why?” Renjun asked, propping himself up on the sink. Donghyuck mimicked him, and the two of them were already sitting on the sink. Donghyuck let out a sigh, watching his legs kick back and forth. “Did something happen at home?”

“No, I'm not living with my parents anymore,” Donghyuck said. “I'm sorry I couldn't tell you all right now, but I think it'd be better if I told you everything in somewhere private,” he said, looking down on his still stained shoes. Renjun brought clothes, but he didn't bring extra shoes, but Donghyuck was already thankful for whatever help Renjun could give him.

“Okay. I think my parents would be okay with it, too. I'd even cook for you tonight, Donghyuck.”

 

 

The two of them were camping out in Renjun's room, and Donghyuck was comfortably snuggling with the Moomin plushies that Renjun owned on the bed. Renjun was sitting up, next Donghyuck's body, with a laptop on his lap, working on the assignment he was given. It was the same assignment that Donghyuck handed in today, and he urged Renjun to finish the assignment earlier to pass it earlier than the deadline.

Renjun stretched his arms, closing the laptop and putting it away, ready to listen to whatever Donghyuck had problems with. Renjun was the other good friend Donghyuck had when they were children, beside from Mark, but he still spent more time with Mark more than he did with Renjun. Now that Mark and him had drifted apart, he became closer to Renjun, and he was able to trust Renjun with whatever problems he had.

“Donghyuck? Are you awake?” Renjun asked, but never nudging the boy in an attempt to get him to wake up. Instead, Donghyuck hummed in response, shifting in his position to face Renjun. His arms were unabashedly wrapped around a Moomin plush, and Renjun let him cuddle with the soft plush toy. “Do you still want to talk?”

“Yes,” Donghyuck said, and even if it was in a quiet voice, Renjun was able to hear him clearly. Donghyuck sat up, the Moomin plush still in his arms, and sidled up to the other boy who didn't seem to show any signs of discomfort. He was quiet for a few moments before speaking up. “A few months ago, a few days before my birthday, my parents told me that I was engaged to Mark. Stupid, right?”

Donghyuck chuckled at the surprised face Renjun had before continuing. “I asked my parents and Mark's parents to keep it a secret, even from Mark. That's why I didn't even bother telling you or Chenle or Jisung. Everyone who knew didn't tell it to anyone else, that's why Mark still treats me like this. I doubt he'd change though, even if I told him about this. I think he'd even use it against me, that's why no one told him. You'd be the first one to know outside my family and Mark's parents.

“Recently, though, his parents and mine bought an apartment near the school with the intentions of both of us living in there. They knew me and Mark weren't such good friends anymore, but they didn't know how awful Mark had become towards me. I'm only agreeing to this for my parents' sake, since this would make us look good as well,” Donghyuck paused to gauge Renjun's reaction. He kept a blank face throughout it, and so, Donghyuck continued.

“Well, in the apartment... we just ignore each other. It's like the other isn't there. Sometimes, when I cook too much food, I give it to Mark. It's like one of the only times we interact, and we don't talk much during those times,” Donghyuck said. “Basically, I'm stuck in this hellish situation where I don't know what to do.”

“When will Mark know about this?” Renjun asked. Donghyuck shrugged in response, hugging the Moomin plush tighter. “I'm sure that you've also talked about when he'll acknowledge your engagement. Who knows? Maybe he'll refuse, and then you'll be free from this.”

“We planned to tell him after graduation so I can't stress over this too much, you know...” Donghyuck trailed off. The room was silent, maybe except for the hum of the AC, but neither one of them made a move to continue the conversation. The two were already in comfortable silence, leaving them to their own thoughts as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

Donghyuck was glad that it was Saturday tomorrow.


	4. Sorry, But No

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's trying, Donghyuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello i finally updated. good lord. anyway, check my [on-going social media au](https://twitter.com/chenlescheeks/status/996981308080377856) on twitter.
> 
> unbeta-d

_- **mark** -_

 

_“Mother, father, I'm home!” he announced, going inside his room when no one responded. Mark thought that maybe his parents were busy doing something, and he shrugged it off. His parents just texted him earlier, saying that they had something to tell him after going out with his friends. And he thought that maybe they just forgot about it._

 

_He went out of his room to get some food for himself, planning to come back with chips from the kitchen when he was greeted by the sight of his parents on the couch, his mother on the phone and his father looking like he was deep in thought. Thinking that he could pass by without making any noise, he was proved wrong when his father caught him walking over to the kitchen._

 

_“Hey, Mark,” his father greeted, and his mother ended the phone call as well. The two of them looked composed, yet Mark knew that they were trying to not look like they were slightly pressured inside. Mark nodded his head, waving a little in return. His mother patted the seat beside him, and he almost winced. This must be the talk that they told him about a while ago._

 

_“Good evening, father. I thought you wanted to talk to me about something?” Mark said, hoping that this wouldn't lead to something horrible. He couldn't think of anything he had done wrong in the past few days, so what was it?_

 

_“Oh, about that...” his mother was the one who spoke up this time. “Nevermind that. We just wanted to ask how you're doing at school. You're doing well, right? Is Donghyuck well?”_

 

_“I think so...”_

 

 

 

“You're saying he hasn't come back yet?”

 

Jeno asked, sitting at the small dinner table with Jaemin and Mark with a plate of an untouched bowl of cereal in front of him. Mark called them to have breakfast with him, because even if he wanted to torment Donghyuck with all of his soul, he still wasn't used to living in an empty apartment. Sure, his parents would go out on business trips, but those business trips were different from this situation.

 

Mark nodded his head in affirmation. “Yeah, I thought maybe he'd come back in the middle of the night, but apparently, it's not like that,” he said, still staring at the paused video of the incident that happened the day before. Someone sent him a copy, and for the first time in a few years, he felt bad. He never knew how Donghyuck reacted to his comments and shoving, but now that the prank happened and the other boy didn't come home, he felt worried. What was he supposed to say to his parents?

 

“I must admit, hyung, you've never really done something this big before. Maybe he's really upset this time? Give him some space. I think he'll come back in a few hours, or maybe he'd gone home,” Jaemin said after eating his cereal. Mark was already staring off into space, wondering where Donghyuck might've gone, and he thought of how disappointed his parents would be if the younger boy told his parents what happened.

 

But then again, Donghyuck was too nice for that. He's too nice to actually drag people down, so Mark thought that Donghyuck would never make his parents disappointed in him, even if Donghyuck was the one getting hurt. His parents reprimanded him once, telling him to stop teasing Donghyuck, but they didn't ask him about it anymore. He learned that Donghyuck asked them to stop asking Mark about him, and they complied.

 

“Hyung?” Jeno's voice snapped him out of his trance, waving a spoon in front of him. The younger boy sighed, putting the spoon down again and held Mark's gaze. “I think you should go apologize to Donghyuck. He was pretty pissed yesterday, and I've never seen him go off like that.”

 

“Jeno's right, to be honest,” Jaemin agreed, making Mark feel worse than before. Jeno's words reflected the truth; Donghyuck has never gone off like that, and Mark didn't know how to feel. “How do you plan on apologizing?”

 

“I don't know, honestly. I never really thought I'd have to apologize,” Mark shrugged, acting all nonchalant when the only thing that plagued his mind was ' _apologize to Donghyuck now_ ' and the scene repeating in his head. Donghyuck's disappointed face was everywhere in his mind, and he frowned even more. Jaemin waved a hand in front of his face, hoping to get Mark's attention away from thinking about Donghyuck when the door unlocked itself, revealing a tired Donghyuck in the hallway.

 

Donghyuck looked confused for a moment, looking around before Renjun appeared behind him, also looking around until his eyes landed on the three men around the dining table. Mark could see Renjun whisper something to Donghyuck, and for a split-second, he felt relieved that Donghyuck shook his head. He didn't even know what felt so relieving to see Donghyuck turn down whatever Renjun was offering.

 

Renjun left their apartment, leaving Donghyuck alone. The atmosphere was awkward and tense, and no one knew what to do. Mark was thankful that Donghyuck was about to go to his room, but one hard stare from Jeno prompted the older to stand up. Mark didn't even know what he was doing, trailing behind Donghyuck but he was praying that something fruitful would come out of this.

 

“Donghyuck,” Mark called out, and the name left him feeling kind of breathless. He could see the barely visible shudder that affected Donghyuck's body, and he wondered if this was one of the effects of Mark's behaviour towards him. Slowly, Donghyuck turned to face him, his eyes seemingly blank and hard to read.

 

“What do you want, Mark?” Donghyuck asked, his voice unsteady, and Mark wanted to take a step back because _is that really Donghyuck?_ His usual edge in his voice was gone, leaving behind a tired tone to it. Mark blinked a few times before clearing his throat.

 

“I'm sorry,” Mark said, the words leaving an unusual aftertaste in his mouth. He has never apologized to Donghyuck for his actions, and he was sure that he was going to get whiplash from the change in his attitude. Both him and Donghyuck, actually. Some of the fire was back in Donghyuck's eyes, and it scared Mark for a moment.

 

“ _You're_ sorry? What for?” Donghyuck said, making his back a little straighter as he looked at Mark in the eye. “You have never, not even once, said sorry to me. Are you saying sorry because you're worried that I'd tell your parents?” He scoffed. “Guess what, Mark Lee, I'm not going to be that kind of person.”

 

It was true. Mark was only apologizing because of the possibility that Donghyuck might report what happened to his parents, but now, he wasn't so sure if that really was the only thing that was making him apologize. Seeing Donghyuck in such an exhausted state jarred Mark into thinking that maybe he should apologize for Donghyuck's own sake, too. He opened his mouth to speak, but Donghyuck only held a hand up.

 

“No,” his voice was weak again, soft, compared to the outbursts from yesterday and just now. Donghyuck's eyes were still trained on Mark's, intense and hard compared to his voice. “I don't care about your apologies right now, Mark. I won't. That—that was the last straw for me. I won't tell your parents, as I told you, because I'm not that kind of person.”

 

And with that, Donghyuck turned around and went in his room, shutting it and locking the door to block everyone else out.

 

- _ **donghyuck**_ -

 

He wanted to call Renjun again, tell him that everything's not okay, but he didn't. He regretted turning Renjun's offer to escort him to the room down, but he tried to convince even himself that he was fine. He wasn't.

 

Especially with that stupid and mean Mark that acted as if he can apologize whenever and wherever for the things he's done to Donghyuck, but Donghyuck stopped there. “He's just apologizing for the milk incident because of his parents,” he told himself, looking at the ceiling above him. He forgot to turn on the lights, and when he woke up from his nap, the room was still dim and the glow-in-the-dark stars were still lighted up from the lamp he had mistakenly opened a few minutes ago.

 

He looked over to his digital clock. “Half an hour past six... it's dinner time,” he said, sitting up and opening the bedside lamp once again. This time, though, his eyes didn't burn from the sudden light, and it was almost comforting as he wasn't surrounded by darkness. “I don't have an appetite,” he mumbled, but he still stood up, leaning on the bedside table for support.

 

The last time he ate was lunch time, and that was when Mark was gone and Donghyuck wasn't even sure if Mark was out this time. He just hoped he was.

 

Navigating through the quiet house, he came across the dining table and slumped on one of the chairs, noticing the covered plate only a minute later. Next to it was a note, presumably from Mark, and instead of reading it, Donghyuck only rolled his eyes. The phone's screen lit up on the table, reading a text from Chenle.

 

_From: Chenle_

_Me and Jisung will be there in 5. See you soon, hyung~_

 

Donghyuck texted a quick 'ok' before moving to the covered plate, deciding to read Mark's note before seeing what was in the plate. “'I made dinner for you. Sorry, Mark,'” Donghyuck eyed the plate suspiciously, but took the cover off, anyway. It was simple bulgogi, one that looked like it wasn't going to poison Donghyuck if he ate it. He grimaced; the bulgogi was cold, and needed some good old microwaving.

 

Jisung and Chenle came in a few seconds short of five minutes, announcing their arrival to the apartment with a shout from Chenle. “I'm in the kitchen!” Donghyuck shouted back, and a few seconds later, both of the kids were at the table, settled on a seat and one on each of Donghyuck's side. “What brings you two here?”

 

“We heard from Renjun hyung about what happened, and, well,” Jisung paused, looking at Chenle for permission to continue. Chenle gave him a nod. “The video also circulated around the school, you know. A lot of them were there,” he explained. “Have you watched the video, hyung?”

 

“I have no plans to,” Donghyuck replied, wishing that the topic would change soon. “Have you eaten yet?”

 

“Yeah, Jisung's mom let me eat at his place,” Chenle said before taking something from his pocket, placing it on the table. Donghyuck raised an eyebrow, waiting for Chenle to remove his hand so he could see what it was. “Check this out,” he said, uncovering it and revealing a chocolate bar underneath. “Chocolate makes people feel good.”

 

“The chocolate milk didn't make me feel good,” Donghyuck muttered, still loud enough for Chenle to hear. The younger one sucked in a breath before sliding the bar back to him. Donghyuck felt guilty; he didn't have to shut out Chenle when he was just trying to make him feel better. “Chenle, I'm sorry for snapping at you. Thank you for the offer, but you can have it.”

 

“No, it's fine, I should've gotten you something else,” Chenle said, the smile back on his face. Donghyuck thought that Jisung shot him a dirty look, but when he looked back at the youngest, he was minding his own business, eating on his own chocolate bar and meeting Donghyuck's eyes when he could feel the gaze on him. Chenle's voice broke his train of thoughts with a, “More for me, anyway.”

 

Jisung opened his mouth to speak, probably to ask Chenle for a piece of the chocolate, when Mark made his presence known.

 

“I'm home,” they heard him say. Chenle and Jisung looked at Donghyuck in surprise, their eyes widened. Donghyuck gave them a confused look and shrugged, not even aware of what was unusual, when Jisung spoke up.

 

“Wait, so you do live with Mark sunbae after all?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha leave a kudos for this unbeta-d work!
> 
> update: this story is officially on semi-hiatus!


	5. Why?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting wilder and more emotionally draining. Donghyuck can almost include, "Jesus, take the wheel," in his prayers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my story is now diverging from the original little plan i made for it. also, the incident is kinda dumb and simple and so common that i bet it's so _painfully underwhelming_ that you guys would be like "seriously? that's it?" when i finally release it sometime... in the later chapters...
> 
> anyway, unbeta-d because i'm a little shit! it's also nearing 1 am. enjoy.

☘  **donghyuck** ☘

 

_Donghyuck could feel how fast he was falling, and he wished someone told him before that he would fall for his best friend. The night he realized it, he sat up in his bed, a blush covering his face as he recalled the reasons why he, Lee Donghyuck, had fallen for Mark Lee. He didn't know it if it was because of Mark's smile, or if it was because Mark was reliable and trustworthy, or if it was because of his laugh, or anything else. He didn't know._

 

_A smile bloomed on his face as he thought of Mark again, but the smile fell when he realized that there was a possibility of Mark not liking him back. He felt his heart break at the thought of Mark rejecting him, at the thought of their friendship falling apart because of Donghyuck's stupid emotions. The possibilities left him feeling hopeless and dreadful._

 

_He didn't speak about it the next day, and he kept on acting as if nothing major has dawned on him last night. Mark greeted him with a smile brighter than usual, and Donghyuck would've felt better if only Mark didn't lean closer to Donghyuck to murmur something._

 

_“Donghyuck,” Mark looked nervous, as if this simple interaction was the culprit. Donghyuck wanted to think that Mark also had a realization last night, but he knows he always can't get what he want._

 

_“I think I have a crush on someone.”_

 

* * *

 

 

“I... yeah, I do,” Donghyuck answered the confused Jisung. He remembers he's never told any of them before, but Chenle spoke up first.

 

“Mark sunbae said that hyung left his food container on the counter once,” Chenle said. Donghyuck remembered that day, the day when Mark brought him lunch that he forgot to bring to school. He blushed when he recalled the memory, but Mark looked indifferent, only startled that Jisung and Chenle were there. “I figured they lived together, somehow. I thought you knew, too.”

 

“Why are you even living together?” Jisung questioned, eyes narrowed at Mark in a hostile manner. Donghyuck could feel the atmosphere getting tenser by the second, and he placed a hand on Jisung to calm him down. Jisung looked back at him, unsure of what to do, but he let Donghyuck explain.

 

“Our parents are good friends, you know? And... this apartment is nearer to the school,” Donghyuck slightly stuttered mid-sentence, and he hoped that no one noticed. He had to keep up with what his parents told Mark and his family, or else it'd get messy. This web of lies that Donghyuck had created to please his parents was starting to get to him, especially with Mark's changing attitude towards everything Donghyuck.

 

“So your parents made you live together? Even though your mom knows you hate Mark sunbae?” Chenle asked, incredulous about what was happening. Donghyuck nodded slowly, thinking that maybe he could agree to Chenle's idea of what was happening, although with the way that Chenle put it, he thought that it must be harsh. “Why did you even agree, hyung?”

 

The question made Donghyuck feel as if the air was knocked out of his lungs. He knew how to answer the simple question of “Why would you agree?” but not the simple question backed up with the fact that his parents know that he doesn't get along with Mark. It was something he couldn't answer without exposing the truth, he knew that, and so, in this fight-or-flight situation, he chose flight.

 

“Why would that matter to you, Chenle?” Donghyuck asked back. He wished that he was less harsh on Chenle who flinched away and mumbled a small apology, but it seemed to have kept the younger one quiet. He didn't want to sound so angry, but the pressure from all this was agitating. Jisung tensed up, wrapping an arm around Chenle protectively. Donghyuck didn't miss this, however, and spoke up again. “I'll talk to you guys tomorrow, okay?”

 

Chenle and Jisung nodded in agreement, deciding that it was best if Donghyuck was left alone, but when Jisung passed by Donghyuck, he could hear a soft, “Talk to us when you have your feelings sorted out, hyung,” before they went bowed their head at Mark and left. Mark was momentarily stunned, blinking his eyes once or twice before he turned to Donghyuck.

 

“You know, I think Chenle has a point with his question,” Mark said, eyes still on Donghyuck. Donghyuck rolled his eyes and started to walk away from the living room so he could go hide in the bedroom, but Mark stepped in his path. “Why don't you want to answer that, Hyuck?”

 

_He hasn't called me that in a long time. The nerve._

 

Donghyuck scoffed before meeting Mark's gaze with nothing but spite for the old nickname. “What did you just call me?” he mocked. “'Hyuck'? You haven't called me that for a long time. You still don't have the right to call me that even if you're sorry. If you really are sorry, give me some space.”

 

Donghyuck pushed Mark away, making the older one stumble a bit but Donghyuck didn't care because right now, he was the one who felt as if the world was confusing him on purpose, especially with Mark unexpected use of his nickname. The nickname was the cherry on top of the cake, and Donghyuck was sick of toda's events. He just wanted to scream it out, but sleeping it off was the next best option that he had.

 

He quietly laughed in the dim space of his room, humour missing from the sound that was cut off when he sat on the bed. He ignored the light coming from his phone and the nausea in his stomach, choosing to lie down and stare at the ceiling instead, desperate to let sleep take over him.

 

☘ **mark** ☘

 

Mark didn't even know why he did that. He didn't know why he called Donghyuck by the nickname he used to call him before they had the fight, but he remembered that for the first time in a few years, maybe, he truly did feel sorry for Donghyuck. It was inevitable, he knew that, especially when his conversation with Jeno and Jaemin kept on replaying in his head while he cooked the food for Donghyuck, but there was something about Donghyuck a while ago that let him see how stressed he really was.

 

Maybe it was what pushed him to call him Hyuck. The old habit that hasn't quite died yet, but it stayed unsaid in Mark's heart. The nickname was a fleeting thought in Mark's mind, even after the fight. But the fact that he called Donghyuck that _now_ probably confused Donghyuck. Scratch that, he was _furious_. Donghyuck was right; Mark didn't have the right to call him that anymore.

 

It was also strange that Donghyuck didn't want to answer Chenle's question, too. It wasn't like the question was hard to answer, but when he heard from Chenle that Donghyuck's parents knew about the animosity between the two and compared that fact to Donghyuck's earlier reason, it all didn't add up. Why would Donghyuck move in with him to please his parents when his parents knew that Donghyuck wouldn't want to stay with Mark?

 

Donghyuck had a secret, that was obvious, and Mark knew that he was somehow in the mess, and yet, it seemed like only Donghyuck was taking a toll from everything.

 

* * *

 

 

It was already past 10 in the morning, and Donghyuck hasn't eaten breakfast yet. Mark knew that, because when he came back after buying some breakfast for himself (and maybe waffles for his roommate), the kitchen was still left untouched, as told by the same state of cleanliness it was in before Mark left. He didn't know if Donghyuck had even left his room.

 

“Donghyuck,” he called out, freezing on the spot when he realized he just called Donghyuck (at least it wasn't Hyuck, _again_ ) as if they were friends. They weren't, the events last night just reminded him of that, but to his horror, soft pads from the hallway were heard and Donghyuck emerged, still in sleepwear and had a frown on his face.

 

“What do you want?” he asked, glaring at Mark with bleary eyes. Mark didn't even know that Donghyuck would respond to him, much less actually come to the kitchen, but he felt bad when he saw Donghyuck's tired face.

 

_“If you really are sorry, give me some space.”_

 

Still, the waffles in Mark's hands were still warm. “Have you eaten yet?” he tested the words, the tone still laced with awkwardness. He reminded himself that this was for his parents, but thinking back to how he felt and acted earlier and yesterday, he wasn't so sure anymore. Donghyuck rolled his eyes.

 

“Why do you care?” the younger one shot back, crossing his arms in front of his chest defensively. Mark squashed down the urge to roll his eyes at Donghyuck's unecessary defiance, leaning towards a nicer approach because maybe Donghyuck was too done with all the fighting. Mark placed the bag of waffles on the table, making Donghyuck raise an eyebrow at the action.

 

“Well, I bought waffles for you, but at this point, I don't think you'd even appreciate them,” he muttered the last part to himself. His tone betrayed the 'nicer approach' he was planning to use, and he winced when Donghyuck let out of a scoff.

 

“I would've appreciated it, if it wasn't for your last sentence, but,” Donghyuck grumbled. _Damn, he heard that part?_ “I have brunch with Renjun. More waffles for you, I guess,” he said, turning away from Mark and marching back to his room to, Mark guessed, prepare for brunch with that Chinese guy. His gaze was brought down to the waffles on the table, gradually becoming colder as the minutes ticked by. Sighing, he texted Jaemin, telling him that he had food for him.

 

He wouldn't be able to stomach the waffles, anyway.

 

☘ **donghyuck** ☘

 

“God, I really can't believe he'd try and call me 'Hyuck' as if we were in like, 6th grade or something,” Donghyuck said, pushing the food around his plate as Renjun listened attentively. A few minutes ago, Chenle and Jisung were there as well, but they left after they heard an apology from Donghyuck about his actions last night. They accepted. “I was most definitely pissed. And confused.”

 

“I understand where you're coming from,” Renjun reassured. Donghyuck shot him a small, yet warm smile before he finally took a bite of his food. It was delicious, Donghyuck knew that, but all he could taste was bitterness as he recalled last night's events. “You've never told him the truth, have you?”

 

Donghyuck's heart started to race as the incident was brought up again, but he shook his head. “He cut me off before he could even see proof. He's _that_ dumb, and also a reason why he can't call me 'Hyuck'. He says he's sorry and all, but he also does some really clashing stuff. At this point, I'm surprised I'm not getting whiplash from his personality. Just this morning, he bought waffles for me but also told me I wouldn't appreciate it. I mean, I really would've, but that last part really... put me off.”

 

“Wait, he bought you waffles this morning?” the older one asked, genuinely surprised by Mark's actions. Donghyuck rolled his eyes as he hummed in agreement. Renjun let out a small, short laugh as he reevaluated the situation with the new information. “Well, that's some character development. I mean, not his insult to you but the waffles.”

 

“It's not character development if he just feels obligated to take care of me. He probably thinks I'm going to tell his parents that I'm being ignored or something. Actually, I think it'd be better if I'm ignored. Just like how we were until Chenle and Jisung brought our living arrangements up,” Donghyuck explained. “He even called me out to the kitchen. I wasn't sure why I responded, though. Maybe I'm too...”

 

“You're just done with him, and you're too tired to fight back,” Renjun supplied. Donghyuck definitely wasn't going to be nice to Mark, and Renjun's words were accurate: there wasn't a point in fighting back, anyway. Mark would just get even more pissed (because he was pissed, either way), and Donghyuck would have to deal with more of Mark's annoying talk come Monday morning.

 

“Yeah, you're right. I'm tired of him,” Donghyuck said, staring at his cup of coffee. He was tired of this. A few months in, and he was already worn out from what was happening in their shared apartment and at school. He wanted to spend the last senior year peacefully, not with his friend who turned his back on him just because of one little incident that Donghyuck wasn't even supposed to apologize for. “Sometimes I wonder if I should call the engagement to Mark off.”

 

The person at the booth next to theirs stood up, Donghyuck noticed, and his eyes widened as he froze in his spot, drowning everything out as he only focused on Jaemin's unreadable gaze on him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> give kudos or whatever
> 
> talk to me on my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/chenlescheeks) or on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/chenlescheeks)
> 
> [180621] hi, i've gotten into boku no hero academia and i've been playing a lot of games lately so i might not update for a while out of sheer laziness lol

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading ^^
> 
> talk to me on my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/chenlescheeks) or on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/chenlescheeks)


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